***Trigger Warning- racism, sexism, and homophobia The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo is a fascinating and thought-provoking story, told entirely through snapshot poems, focusing on Xiomara Batista, a young girl from Harlem with an extraordinary talent for writing poetry. The novel explores themes of family, religion, love, and self-discovery. The author uses vivid descriptions and […]
Over a summer of love and struggle, one young boy finds the courage to forgive himself. ~Ebb & Flow Told through a series of picturesque free-verse vignettes, Ebb & Flow is the story of Jett, a young boy going through some tough times. After a singularly bad year, full of poor choices and disaster, Jett […]
Moran’s collection Ever Deeper is poetry after my own heart. I fell in love with it from the very first. There are many deep, philosophical poems that will set you to thinking. There are light-hearted poems, and poems to soothe the soul. Most of the poems in this collection deal with knowing and appreciating the […]
No Price Aislynn d’Merricksson, ©2004 What is of the greatest value- past, present and future? It is… The love of family, the acceptance of friends, finding a place to belong. A second chance, a new lease on life, a hope for the future. A newborn’s wail, the tears of a […]
Thanku, edited by Miranda Paul, is an enchanting anthology of gratitude poetry accompanied by gorgeous artwork. There are many things we have to be thankful for, and these poems can teach young readers how to be thankful for even the simplest things in life. Each poem is a different style. At the bottom of each […]
©Aislynn d’Merrickssson, 2007-2009 Summer’s end- golden leaves dance in the wind. Arctic chill- Snow Leopard hunts in the night. Thunder and Lightning- A ship flails, lost at sea. An anguished cry breaks the night- humanity’s folly. An early morn- dragon’s breath shrouds the land. A foggy night- will-o-wisps lead […]
©2016, Aislynn d’Merricksson Pearls of memory strung along, one by one, beaded on strands of spirit and soul, myriad shimmering hues, some big, others small. Touch one, then another, and another. Images bloom in the depths, wakening in the mind, scattered over months, days, weeks, years. Decades. A century, if perthro favours. There is no […]
©2007, J Aislynn d’Merricksson Mirror maze- infinite illusions of perception. Trappings and doings of the human self; limits of true potential. Shatter these myriad reflections and free the true self from the ego-self. What are these mirrors? Judgments, assumptions, our thoughts of how things should be. All illusions- all we think we […]
Lion of the Sky by Laura Purdie Salas ‘you gasp as I roar, my mane exploding, sizzling— lion of the sky! Haiku meet riddles in this wonderful collection from Laura Purdie Salas. The poems celebrate the seasons and describe everything from an earthworm to a baseball to an apple to snow angels, alongside full-color illustrations.’ […]
Child of the Moon by Jessica Semaan ‘In between being your mother and father, I forgot to be your daughter And became the child of the moon “In her debut collection, Semaan offers an upfront &moving glimpse into the true nature of healing: an imperfect, nonlinear journey”–Amanda Lovlace, bestselling author of the princess saves herself […]